Converter.



No. 865,671. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

R. BAGGALEY.

CONVERTER. APPLICATION FILED Q0130. 1900.

RALPH BAGGALEY, OF PITTSBURG, PEN NS YLVAN IA.

CONVERTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed October 80,1906. Serial No. 341,339.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH BAGGALEY, of Pittsburg,

Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, whose post-oflice address is Farmers Bank Building, Pittsburg, have invented a new and useful Twyer for Converters, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a cross-section of a converter illustrating my invention; and Fig. 2 illustrates the twyeron a larger scale.

My invention relates more especially to converters such as are used in the new method of smelting ores described in my United States Patents, Nos. 746,241 and 746,250, dated December 8, 1903; and No. 766,654, dated August 2, 1904; in which the smelting and refining are accomplished through the medium of a bessemerizing blast, the natural fuels contained in the ores themselves being utilized in lieu of' coke. With these converters, a stoppage of the blast fills the converter twyers with chilled matte which clogs them and brings all operations to a stop until they have been drilled out and the bessemerizing process is commenced anew. Chilled matte is a very refractory substance to drill, and from one to three days are required to drill out all the twyers in a large converter.

During this time, smelting operations are at a stand-v still. The frequent drilling out, even with the great est care, results in enlarging and injuring the twyer orifices. The use of electric power which is subject to various stoppages from one cause or another, especially when transmitted from a distance has for these reasons been prevented to a considerable extent, notwithstanding the high cost of generating steam power for operating the blast.

My invention provides means whereby the clogged twyers may be quickly freed, and thus reducing to a minimum the difficulties of stoppages, and thereby permitting the use of electric,. as well as steam power for generating the blast.

Referring now to the drawings, I provide each twyer orifice with a metal sleeve or tube 3, preferably made of some cheap metal such as iron or steel, so arranged that it may be quickly and cheaply removed. I prehad to the following drawings,

for to attach such tubesecurely to a nut or head 4, in order that a wrench or, if necessary, may be attached to it for the purpose of revolving it. The sheath or tube 3 extends through the metal shell 6 of the converter, which is provided with a stuffing box 7 to receive the same and through the refractory lining 8, the latter preferably having therein a sleeve 9 which surrounds the inner end portion of the sheath or tube. Should a'stoppage in the blast occur and should the twyers thus fill with matte-and the latter become congealed in them, I quickly invert the vessel sufiiciently to bring the wind-box to the top. While in this position I,remove the lid of the wind-box 5, remove the clogg bd tube from each twyer, insert a new one, and while thevessel remains in this position, remove with a punching bar and sledge any chilled accretions on the interior of the vessel so that the blast may again freely enter the bath as soon as the vessel has been restored to its upright position. It is quite possible in this way, at a minimum expense, to ro move a set of clogged twyers from a converter and to replace such clogged twyers' with new ones, Without giving the molten bath in the vessel time to chill or solidify.

Doubtless many modifications will naturally suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention, since what I claim is:

1. A twyer having a removable sleeve or tube extending into and through the twyer orifice and having an accessible toobsealing portion: substantially as described.

2. A twyer having a removable sleeve or tube extending" through the twyer orifice and whose outer end is formed with a wrench-seatingportion; substantially as described.

A twyer having a removable sleev'e or tube extending therethrough with a head adapted to be engaged witha turning instrument, and a wind-box in which such portion terminates; substantially as described.

4. A converter having a twyer opening. a lining sleeve therein and extending therethrough, and a removable tube or sheath extending into said lining sleeve and having a portion projectim, into the wind box of the converter; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

RALll-I BAGGALEY Witnesses:

(irEORGE H. SONNEBORN, ANNA E. WALLACE.

a powerful lever 

